Get Safety belts Guide for Volkswagen Passat SUV Sixth Generation (2005-2010)

Safety belts

ꢀIntroduction

In this section you’ll find information about:

Warning light

Frontal collisions and laws of physics

What happens to passengers not wearing a safety belt

Safety belts protect

Using safety belts

Fastening and unfastening safety belts

Safety belt position

Safety belt height adjusters

Safety belt extender

Safety belt retractor, pretensioner, load limiter

Service and disposal of belt pretensioners

Properly worn safety belts are the single most effective means of reducing the risk of serious injury

and death in a collision or other accident.

Damage to safety belts reduces their overall effectiveness and increases the risk of serious personal

injury and death whenever the vehicle is being used.

Check the condition of all safety belts regularly.

If a safety belt shows damage to webbing, bindings, retractors or buckles, have the safety belt

replaced by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility ⇒ꢀ

.

More information:

ꢀ

Adjusting the seating position

Airbag system

Child safety and child restraints

Parts, accessories, repairs and modifications

WARNING

Not wearing a safety belt or wearing an improperly positioned safety belt increases the risk of

severe personal injury or death. Safety belts offer optimum protection only when they are

used properly.

ꢀ

Properly worn safety belts are the single most effective means of reducing the risk of

serious injury and death in a collision or other accident. For this reason, always wear your

safety belt properly and make sure all passengers wear their safety belts properly as well

whenever the vehicle is moving.

ꢀ

The driver must always make sure that every person in the vehicle is properly seated on a

seat of his or her own, properly fastens the safety belts belonging to that seat before the

vehicle starts to move, and keeps the belts properly fastened while riding in the vehicle. This

applies even when just driving around town. Therefore, always wear your safety belts and

make sure that everybody in your vehicle is properly restrained.

ꢀ

Always secure children in the vehicle with a restraint system appropriate for their age,

weight and height.

Always fasten safety belts correctly before driving off and make sure that all passengers

are properly restrained.

Never attach the safety belt to the buckle of another seat. Attaching the safety belt to the

wrong buckle will reduce safety belt effectiveness and can cause serious personal injury.

Never let any objects or liquids get into the safety belt latch and prevent it from working

properly.

ꢀ

ꢀ Never remove a safety belt while the vehicle is moving. Doing so will increase your risk of

being injured or killed.

ꢀ

Never strap more than one person, including small children, into any single safety belt.

Never let children or babies ride sitting on your lap, and never place a safety belt over a

child sitting on your lap.

Never wear belts over rigid or breakable objects in or on your clothing, such as

eyeglasses, pens, keys, etc., as these may cause injury.

Several layers of heavy clothing (such as a coat worn over top of a sports jacket) may

ꢀ

interfere with proper positioning of the safety belt and reduce the overall effectiveness of the

system.

ꢀ

Never use comfort clips or devices that create slack in the shoulder belt. However, special

clips may be required for the correct use of some child restraint systems.

Safety belts offer optimum protection only when the seat backrest is upright and belts are

correctly positioned on the body.

ꢀ

WARNING

Damage to safety belts reduces their overall effectiveness and increases the risk of serious

personal injury and death whenever the vehicle is being used.

ꢀ

Never let safety belts become damaged by being caught in the door or seat hardware.

Torn or frayed safety belts can tear, and damaged safety belt hardware can break in an

accident.

ꢀ

Inspect belts regularly for damage. If webbing, bindings, buckles, or retractors are

damaged, have the belts replaced immediately with the correct replacement belts approved

by Volkswagen for your vehicle, model, and model year.

ꢀ

Safety belts that were subject to stress in an accident and stretched must be replaced with

a correct, new safety belt, preferably by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized

Volkswagen Service Facility.

ꢀ Replacement after a crash may be necessary even if a safety belt shows no visible

damage. Anchorages that have been loaded must also be inspected.

ꢀ

Damaged safety belts must be replaced; they cannot be repaired.

Never try to repair a damaged safety belt yourself. Never remove or modify the safety belts

in any way.

ꢀ Have safety belts, bindings, retractors and buckles replaced by an authorized Volkswagen

dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

ꢀ Always keep the belts clean. Dirty belts may not work correctly and can impair the

function of the inertia reel.

Warning light

Fig. 69 Warning light in the instrument cluster.

ꢀPlease first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

Lights

up or

flashes

Possible cause

Proper response

Driver and front passenger have not

fastened their safety belts, if front

passenger seat is occupied.

Fasten safety belts.

ꢀ

When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights come on briefly for a function

check. They go out after a few seconds.

A warning chime also sounds.

The safety belt warning lightꢀcomes on for 6 seconds when the ignition is switched on. A warning

chime also sounds for up to 6 seconds if the driver's safety belt is not buckled. The chime stops

sooner if the driver buckles his or her safety belt. The warning light and the chime go out when both

driver and front passenger have bucked their safety belts.

If the driver and front seat passenger do not both fasten their safety belts within about 24 seconds

after the chime stops and the vehicle is moving at a speed of more than about 15 mph (25 km/h), the

chime will again sound for about 6 seconds, then go off for about 24 seconds, then sound again for

about another 6 seconds. The same thing happens if one of the safety belts is fastened and then

unfastened while the vehicle is moving. The safety belt warning light ꢀ also flashes. The warning

chime continues to sound at 24 second intervals for up to 2 minutes. No chime sounds at speeds of

less than about 5 mph (8 km/h).

If the ignition is switched on, the safety belt warning light _ªstays on until the driver and front

passenger have both buckled their safety belts.

WARNING

Not wearing a safety belt or wearing an improperly positioned safety belt increases the risk of

severe personal injury or death. Safety belts offer optimum protection only when used

correctly.

Frontal collisions and laws of physics

Fig. 70 A vehicle with passengers not wearing safety belts approaches a wall.

Fig. 71 A vehicle with passengers not wearing safety belts hits a wall.

ꢀPlease first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

The physical principles of a frontal collision are simple. Both the moving vehicle and the passenger

possess energy ⇒ꢀfig. 70, which varies with vehicle speed and body weight. Engineers call this energy

“kinetic energy.”

The higher the speed of the vehicle and the greater the vehicle's weight, the more energy has to be

“absorbed” in a crash.

Vehicle speed is the most significant factor. If your speed doubles (for example, from 15 mph to

30 mph - 25 km/h to 50 km/h), the energy increases 4 times!

Because the occupants of the vehicle in the above example are not using safety belts, they are not

“attached” to the vehicle. In a frontal collision, they will keep moving at the same speed the vehicle

was moving just before the crash, until something stops them - here, the inside of the passenger

compartment. Because the occupants of the vehicle in the example are not wearing safety belts, their

entire kinetic energy will be absorbed by impact with the wall ⇒ꢀfig. 71.

The same principles apply to people in a vehicle that is in a frontal collision on the highway. Even at

city speeds of 20–30 mph (30–50 km/h), the forces acting on the body can reach one ton (2,000 lbs or

1,000 kg) or more. At greater speeds, these forces are even higher.

Of course, the laws of physics don't apply just to frontal collisions; they determine what happens in all

kinds of accidents and collisions.

What happens to passengers not wearing a safety belt

Fig. 72 The unbelted driver is thrown forward.

Fig. 73 Unbelted passengers in the rear seats are thrown forward on top of the belted driver.

ꢀPlease first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

Many people believe that it is possible to resist the forces of an impact by holding tight or bracing

themselves. That is simply not true!

Even at low collision speeds, the forces acting on the body are too much for the body to be held in the

seat with the arms and hands. In a frontal collision, unrestrained occupants will slam violently into the

steering wheel, instrument panel, windshield or anything else in the way ⇒ꢀfig. 72.

Never rely on airbags alone for protection. Even when they deploy, airbags provide only additional

protection. Airbags are not supposed to deploy in all kinds of accidents. Even if your vehicle is

equipped with airbags, all vehicle occupants, including the driver, must wear safety belts correctly in

order to minimize the risk of severe injury or death in a crash, regardless of whether a seating position

has an airbag or not.

An airbag will deploy only once. Safety belts are always there to offer protection in those accidents in

which airbags are not supposed to deploy or when they have already deployed. Unbelted occupants

can also be thrown out of the vehicle, causing even more severe injuries or death.

It is also important for occupants in the rear seats to wear their safety belts properly since they can be

thrown violently forward through the vehicle in the event of an accident. Unbelted passengers in the

rear seats endanger not only themselves but also the driver and other passengers in the vehicle

⇒ꢀfig. 73.

Safety belts protect

Fig. 74 Belted driver secured by the correctly worn safety belt in the event of a sudden braking maneuver.

ꢀPlease first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

Used properly, safety belts can make a big difference. Safety belts help to keep passengers in their

seats, gradually reduce energy levels applied to the body in a collision, and help prevent the

uncontrolled movement that can cause serious injuries. In addition, safety belts reduce the danger of

being thrown out of the vehicle ⇒ꢀfig. 74.

Safety belts attach passengers to the car and give them the benefit of being slowed down more gently

or “softly” through the “give” in the safety belts, crumple zones, and other safety features (such as

airbags) engineered into today's vehicles. The front crumple zones and other passive safety features

(such as the airbag system) are also designed to absorb kinetic energy. By “absorbing” the kinetic

energy over a longer period of time, the forces on the body become more “tolerable” and less likely to

cause injury.

Although these examples are based on a frontal collision, safety belts can also substantially reduce

the risk of injury in other kinds of crashes. So, whether you're on a long trip or “just going to the corner

store,” always buckle up and make sure that others do, too.

Accident statistics show that vehicle occupants properly wearing safety belts have a lower risk of being

injured and a much better chance of surviving a collision. Properly using safety belts also greatly

increases the ability of the supplemental airbags to do their job in a collision. For this reason, wearing

a safety belt is required by law in most countries including the United States and Canada.

Although your Volkswagen is equipped with airbags, you still have to wear the safety belts provided.

Front airbags, for example, are activated only in some frontal collisions. The front airbags are not

activated in all frontal collisions, in side and rear collisions, in rollovers, or in cases when the

conditions for deployment stored in the electronic control unit are not met. The same goes for the other

airbag systems on your Volkswagen.

So always wear your safety belt and make sure that everybody in your vehicle is properly restrained!

Using safety belts

ꢀPlease first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

Checklist

Using safety belts ⇒ꢀ

Damage to safety belts reduces their overall effectiveness and increases the risk of serious

personal injury and death whenever the vehicle is being used.

¥

Check the condition of all safety belts regularly.

Keep safety belts clean.

¥

Keep objects and liquids away from safety belt webbing, the safety belt buckle tongue, and the

safety belt buckle latch and opening.

Do not pinch or damage the safety belt or buckle tongue (for instance, when closing a door).

Never modify, disassemble or try to repair safety belts and safety belt anchorages.

¥

Always fasten your safety belt properly before driving and keep it fastened whenever the vehicle is

moving.

Twisted safety belt

If it is difficult to pull the safety belt out of the belt guide, the belt may be twisted inside the side trim

because the belt retracted too quickly when it was taken off.

ꢀ

Hold the safety belt tongue, slowly and carefully pull safety belt all the way out.

Untwist the safety belt and slowly return the belt by hand.

If you cannot untwist the safety belt, wear it anyway. Make sure that the safety belt is twisted in a spot

where it does not come in direct contact with your body. Have the safety belt untwisted immediately by

an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

Lockable safety belt

The retractors for the rear seat safety belts and the front passenger safety belt have a switchable

locking feature for child restraints in addition to the emergency locking feature. Whenever a child

restraint is installed with a safety belt, the safety belt must be locked so that the safety belt webbing

cannot unreel. The switchable locking feature lets you lock the belt so that a child restraint can be

properly installed and, for example, so that it can't tip to the side when the vehicle goes around a

corner, Child safety and child restraints.

To see whether a safety belt is lockable, pull the safety belt all the way out of the safety belt retractor.

You should then hear a “clicking” sound as the belt winds back into the retractor reel. Test the

switchable locking feature by pulling on the belt. When the switchable locking feature is active, you

should no longer be able to pull the belt out of the retractor.

The locking feature must be deactivated when a vehicle occupant uses the safety belt.

WARNING

Improper use and care of safety belts increases the risk of severe personal injury or death.

ꢀ

Regularly check safety belts and related parts for damage.

Damaged safety belts must be replaced; they cannot be repaired.

Always keep safety belts clean.

Never catch, damage or chafe safety belt webbing on sharp edges.

Always keep objects and liquids away from the belt buckle and buckle opening.

Fastening and unfastening safety belts

Fig. 75 Inserting the buckle tongue into the belt buckle.

Fig. 76 Releasing the buckle tongue from the belt buckle.

ꢀPlease first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

Properly worn safety belts help to hold occupants in their seats and provide optimum protection during

braking or in a collision or other accident ⇒ꢀ

.

The switchable locking feature makes a “clicking” sound when the safety belt is winding back onto the

safety belt retractor wheel after being pulled all the way out. Whenever a child restraint is installed with

a safety belt, the safety belt must be locked so that the safety belt webbing cannot unreel

⇒ꢀpage Error! Bookmark not defined., Child safety and child restraints. If active, deactivate the

locking feature before using the safety belt to restrain a person without a child restraint system.

Fastening safety belts

Always buckle your safety belt before driving.

ꢀ

Adjust the front seat and head restraint correctly, Adjusting the seating position.

ꢀ

Make sure the seat backrest of the rear seat bench is in an upright position and securely latched in

place before using the safety belt ⇒ꢀ

Hold the safety belt by the tongue and pull it slowly and evenly across the chest and pelvis. Do not

twist the safety belt webbing ⇒ꢀ

.

ꢀ

.

ꢀ

Insert the tongue into the correct buckle for your seat until you hear it latch securely ⇒ꢀfig. 75.

Pull on the safety belt to make sure that it is securely latched in the buckle.

Unfastening safety belts

Unfasten safety belts only when the vehicle is not moving ⇒ꢀ

.

ꢀ

Press the red button on the buckle ⇒ꢀfig. 76. The buckle tongue is ejected.

Let the belt wind up on the retractor as you guide the belt tongue to its stowed position to help

prevent the safety belt from twisting and to help avoid damage to the interior trim.

WARNING

Improperly positioned safety belts can cause serious personal injury or death in an accident.

ꢀ

Safety belts offer optimum protection only when the seat backrest is upright and belts are

correctly positioned on the body.

A person who is not properly restrained can be seriously injured by the safety belt itself if

it slips from the stronger parts of the body into sensitive areas like the abdomen.

Unfastening safety belts while the vehicle is in motion can cause severe personal injury or

ꢀ

death in the event of an accident or braking maneuver!

Safety belt position

Fig. 77 Proper safety belt positioning and head restraint adjustment.

Fig. 78 Proper safety belt positioning for expectant mothers.

ꢀPlease first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

Wearing safety belts improperly can cause serious injury or death. Safety belts can only work when

they are correctly positioned on the body. A properly worn safety belt also helps to position the

occupant so that an airbag can provide maximum protection when deployed. Therefore, always fasten

your safety belt and make sure that it is properly positioned over your body.

Improper seating positions reduce the effectiveness of safety belts and even increase the risk of injury

or death by moving the safety belt to critical areas of the body. Improper seating positions also

increase the risk of severe injury or death when an airbag deploys and strikes an occupant who is not

seated properly, Adjusting the seating position.

Proper safety belt position

ꢀ

The shoulder portion of the safety belt must always run over the center of the shoulder and never

over the throat, over the arm, under the arm or behind the back.

The lap portion of the safety belt must always run as low as possible over the pelvis and never

over the abdomen.

Always wear the safety belt flat and snug against the body. Pull on the safety belt to tighten if

ꢀ

necessary.

Expectant mothers must always wear the lap portion of the safety belt as low as possible across the

pelvis and below the rounding of the abdomen – throughout the pregnancy. The safety belt must lie

flat against the body to avoid pressure against the abdomen ⇒ꢀfig. 78.

Adjusting safety belt height

The safety belt position can be adjusted using the following features:

ꢀ

Safety belt height adjusters for the front seats.

Front seats with height adjustment.

WARNING

Improperly positioned safety belts can cause serious personal injury in an accident or a

sudden braking maneuver.

ꢀ

Always make sure that all vehicle occupants are correctly restrained and stay in a correct

seating position whenever the vehicle is being used.

Safety belts offer optimum protection only when the seat backrest is upright and belts are

correctly positioned on the body.

A loose-fitting safety belt can cause serious injuries by shifting its position on your body

from the strong bones to more vulnerable soft tissue and cause serious injury.

The shoulder belt portion of the safety belt must be positioned over the middle of the

occupant's shoulder and never across the neck or throat.

ꢀ

The safety belt must lie flat and snug on the occupant's upper body.

Never wear the shoulder part of the safety belt under your arm or otherwise out of

position.

ꢀ

The lap portion of the safety belt must be positioned as low as possible across the pelvis

and never over the abdomen. Make sure the belt lies flat and snug against the pelvis. Pull on

the safety belt to tighten if necessary.

ꢀ

Expectant mothers must always wear the lap portion of the safety belt as low as possible

across the pelvis and below the rounding of the abdomen.

Do not twist the belt when attaching it. If you cannot untwist a twisted safety belt, wear it

ꢀ

anyway, but make sure the twisted part is not in contact with your body. Have the problem

corrected right away by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service

Facility.

ꢀ

Never hold the safety belt away from your body with your hand.

Never wear belts over rigid or breakable objects, such as eyeglasses, pens or keys.

Never modify the position of the belt using comfort clips, loops or similar devices.

ꢀ If you have a physical impairment or condition that prevents you from sitting properly on the seat

with the safety belt properly fastened, special modifications to your vehicle may be necessary.

ꢀ

Contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility or call the

Volkswagen Customer CARE Center at 1-800-822-8987 for information about possible modifications

to your vehicle.

Safety belt height adjusters

Fig. 81 Next to the front seats: Safety belt height adjuster.

ꢀPlease first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

page 94.

on

Safety belt height adjusters for the front seats can be used to adjust the height of the shoulder portion

of the safety belt so that it is positioned correctly:

ꢀ

Pinch the safety belt attachment together as indicated by the arrows and hold ⇒ꢀfig. 81.

Slide the belt and upper attachment up or down until the safety belt is positioned over the center of

the shoulder ⇒ꢀpage Error! Bookmark not defined., Safety belt position, ⇒ꢀpage 102, Safety belt

position.

ꢀ

Release the safety belt attachment.

Pull on the safety belt to make sure that the upper attachment is securely locked in place.

WARNING

Never adjust the height of the safety belt while driving.

Safety belt extender

Fig. 82 A safety belt extender properly attached to the factory-installed safety belt.

Fig. 83 Positioning of the safety belt extender.

ꢀPlease first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

If a safety belt is too short to correctly fit you or one of your passengers, even when the safety belt is

pulled out all the way, you can use a safety belt extender.

Never use the safety belt extender for any other purpose – including the attachment of a child

restraint.

The extender adds about 8 inches (20 cm) to the safety belt. Always remove the safety belt extender

when it is not needed and stow it safely. Contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized

Volkswagen Service Facility if you believe you may need an extender.

Key to fig. 82:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Vehicle safety belt buckle.

Buckle tongue on the safety belt extender.

Safety belt buckle on the safety belt extender.

Safety belt buckle tongue on the factory-installed safety belt.

Key to fig. 83:

(A)

(B)

Safety belt buckle on the safety belt extender.

Distance between the safety belt buckle on the safety belt extender and the centerline of the

person using the safety belt extender. The distance must be more than 6 inches (15 cm)!

(C)

Centerline of the person using the safety belt extender.

Using a safety belt extender

ꢀ

Adjust both the seat and the head restraint properly, Adjusting the seating position.

Insert the buckle tongue on the safety belt extender ⇒ꢀfig. 82 (2) into the vehicle belt buckle for the

seat where the safety belt extender is being used (1).

ꢀ Fastening or unfastening the vehicle safety belt ⇒ꢀpage 101, Fastening and unfastening safety

belts.

ꢀ

Pull the belt to make sure that the tongues are securely locked in the buckles.

Make sure that the safety belt is positioned properly, Safety belt position, Safety belt position.

Properly using safety belt extenders:

Use a safety belt extender only when the factory installed safety belt is too short when worn

properly by a person in proper seating position.

ꢀ

Only use 1 safety belt extender per seat and vehicle safety belt.

Always remove the safety belt extender when it is not needed.

Never leave a safety belt extender attached to the vehicle safety belt buckle when the extender is

not needed and being used with the safety belt. Otherwise, the airbag control module will receive an

incorrect signal from the safety belt buckle and this will prevent the airbag from working properly for a

person who is not using the safety belt. Leaving the extender attached to the safety belt buckle when

the front seat is occupied and the safety belt is not being used will signal the airbag control unit during

a collision that the front passenger seat is occupied and that the safety belt is being used. The

electronic control unit for the airbag system will then receive incorrect information that will cause the

safety belt pretensioner to deploy unnecessarily and the front passenger airbag to deploy later in

collisions that would normally trigger the front airbag earlier in the collision to help protect an

unrestrained front seat occupant. The airbag will not be able to provide enough protection for an

occupant not wearing a safety belt.

ꢀ

Only use the safety belt extender approved by Volkswagen for your vehicle.

WARNING

Improper use or positioning of a safety belt extender increases the risk of serious personal

injury and death.

ꢀ A driver or passenger who is not properly restrained can be seriously injured by striking

the interior of the passenger compartment or by the safety belt itself, which can be displaced

from stronger parts of the body into sensitive areas like the abdomen.

ꢀ

Safety belt extenders offer optimum protection only when they are properly used.

Only use the extender when the belt is not long enough to be worn low and snug and the

person is in the correct seating position. Remove and stow extender safely when not needed.

ꢀ

Always make sure the safety belt tongue of the safety belt extender is securely inserted

into the buckle for the seating position that belongs to the seat where the safety belt extender

is being used. Attaching the safety belt to the wrong buckle will reduce safety belt

effectiveness and can cause serious personal injury.

ꢀ

Never use the safety belt extender if you can properly attach the safety belt without it.

Using a safety belt extender when not needed can increase the risk of injury, especially in a

collision.

ꢀ Never use a safety belt extender if the distance (B) between the front edge of the safety

belt extender buckle (A) and the centerline of the person using the safety belt extender

⇒ꢀfig. 83 (C) is less than 6 inches (15 cm).

ꢀ

Never leave a safety belt extender attached to the vehicle safety belt buckle when the

extender is not needed and being used with the safety belt. Otherwise, the airbag control

module will receive an incorrect signal from the safety belt buckle and this will prevent the

airbag from working properly for a person who is not using the safety belt.

ꢀ Never use more than 1 extender with a safety belt. Using more than 1 extender can change

the way the safety belt passes over the body and can cause serious injury.

ꢀ

Never use the safety belt extender to secure a child restraint.

Never use a safety belt extender on your Volkswagen that you got from another

automobile manufacturer or from an automotive parts store.

ꢀ Never use the safety belt extender you got for your vehicle for any other vehicle,

regardless of make, model, or model year.

NOTICE

ꢀ

Leaving the extender attached to the safety belt buckle when the front seat is occupied and the

safety belt is not being used will signal to the airbag control unit that the front passenger seat is

occupied and that the safety belt is being used. The electronic control unit for the airbag system will

then receive incorrect information that will

–

cause the safety belt pretensioner to deploy unnecessarily in collisions

cause the front passenger airbag to deploy later in collisions in which the front airbag

would otherwise be triggered earlier to help protect an unrestrained front seat passenger.

ꢀ A pretensioner that has deployed cannot be repaired. The entire safety belt must be

replaced.

NOTICE

If the safety belt extender is left attached to the safety belt buckle, the safety belt warning

system will sense that the safety belt for that seat is being used. The warning light will not

come on and the warning chime will not sound even though the seat is occupied and the safety

belt is not being used.

Safety belt retractor, pretensioner, load limiter

ꢀPlease first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

The safety belts in the vehicle are part of the vehicle's safety concept, Safety equipment, , Safety

equipment and consist of the following important features:

Automatic safety belt retractors

Every safety belt is equipped with an automatic belt retractor on the shoulder belt. As long as the

safety belt is pulled out slowly, the shoulder belt will extend to let you move freely under normal driving

conditions. The automatic safety belt retractor locks the belt when the belt is pulled out fast, during

hard braking and in a collision. The belt may also lock when you drive up or down a steep hill or

through a sharp curve.

Safety belt pretensioner

The safety belt retractors for the driver and front seat passenger have a pretensioner that helps take

the slack out of the safety belt and tighten it when the pretensioner is activated.

The pretensioners are activated by the electronic control unit for the airbag system in front, side, and

rear collisions. By tightening the safety belt, the pretensioner helps to reduce the occupant's forward

movement. The belt pretensioner works together with the airbag system; its function is monitored by

the airbag system indicator light. The belt pretensioner will not deploy in a rollover if the side airbags

are not activated.

A fine dust may be released upon activation. This is normal and is not caused by a fire in the vehicle.

Safety belt load limiter

The front safety belts also have load limiters to help reduce the forces applied to the body in a crash.

Heed all safety regulations if the vehicle or individual components of the system have to be

scrapped. Your authorized Volkswagen dealer and authorized Volkswagen Service Facility are familiar

with these regulations, Service and disposal of belt pretensioners.

Service and disposal of belt pretensioners

ꢀPlease first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

The pretensioners are part of the safety belts installed at the front seats in your vehicle. Installing,

removing, servicing, or repairing of safety belt pretensioners can damage the safety belt system and

prevent it from working correctly in a collision. The pretensioners themselves may then also not work

in the event of an accident, or not work properly.

There are some important things you have to know to make sure that the effectiveness of the system

will not be impaired and that discarded components do not cause injury or pollute the environment.

Undeployed safety belt pretensioners and airbag modules contain explosive materials that can cause

serious injuries to the general public and to people who work at dealerships and workshops, scrap

yards, and recycling facilities. For this reason, the systems must be properly handled when they or the

vehicles they are installed in are scrapped.

Undeployed safety belt pretensioners and airbag modules can also pollute the environment. Never

abandon vehicles or vehicle parts. If your vehicle must be scrapped, please make sure that it is done

safely, responsibly, and in compliance with all applicable environmental regulations. Take it to a

licensed facility that has the knowledge and experience to properly dispose of the vehicle and its

safety belt system. Your authorized Volkswagen dealer and authorized Volkswagen Service Facility

are familiar with these regulations.

WARNING

Improper handling, care, servicing, and repair procedures can increase the risk of personal

injury and death by preventing a belt pretensioner from activating when needed or by

causing it to activate unexpectedly.

ꢀ

The pretensioner can be activated only once. If a pretensioner has been activated, the

safety belt must be replaced.

Safety belt systems including the pretensioners cannot be repaired. Special procedures

are required to remove, install, and dispose of this system.

Never repair, adjust, or change pretensioners or any other part of the safety belt system

ꢀ

yourself. We strongly recommend that you have any work on the safety belt system

performed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

They have the necessary technical information, training, and special equipment, Parts,

accessories, repairs and modifications.

WARNING

Undeployed safety belt pretensioners and airbag modules contain explosive materials that

can cause serious personal injuries if they are not properly handled when they or the

vehicles they are installed in are scrapped.

ꢀ

Never abandon vehicles or vehicle parts.

Always scrap vehicles and vehicle parts, especially those containing undeployed airbag

modules and undeployed safety belt pretensioners, at a licensed facility that has the

knowledge and experience to properly dispose of the vehicle and its safety belt and airbag

systems.

Undeployed airbag modules and safety belt pretensioners are classified as Perchlorate

Material. Special handling may apply – see http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. Obey

all applicable legal requirements regarding handling and disposal of the vehicle or parts of its restraint

system, including airbag modules and safety belts with pretensioners. Authorized Volkswagen dealers

and authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities are familiar with the requirements, and we recommend

that you have them perform this service for you.

Safety belts for Your Volkswagen Passat SUV Sixth Generation (2005-2010)

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